An antireflection film can be mounted on a plasma display panel, a liquid crystal display panel, window glass of a vehicle and a building, and the like.
A conventional antireflection film consists of an organic film, a high refractive index layer, and a low refractive index layer, in which these layers are laminated on the surface of the organic film. The conventional antireflection film prevents optical reflection by utilizing a difference in refractive index between the high refractive index layer and the low refractive index layer. As examples of the high refractive index layer and the low refractive index layer, an inorganic thin film laminated by sputtering or evaporation, and a synthetic resin thin film are known. The synthetic resin thin film laminated by coating is inexpensive.
An antireflection film having antistatic properties does not become dirty easily because the film does not absorb dust and dirt by static electricity. A high refractive index layer including particles of electrically conductive metal oxide prevents an antireflection film from static electrification.
The refractive index of the particles of electrically conductive metal oxide, generally, is not so high that it is hard to raise the refractive index of the high refractive index layer up to 1.7 or more. In case that the refractive index of the high refractive index layer is not high enough, it is necessary to reduce the refractive index of the low refractive index layer sufficiently in order to bring down the minimum surface reflectance of an antireflection film sufficiently, e.g., to bring down that to 1% or less, because the antireflection film acquires the anti-reflecting properties by utilizing the difference in refractive index between the high refractive index layer and the low refractive index layer.
Fluorine-based acrylic resin and silicone resin, each of which has a low refractive index, are conventionally used as a material for the low refractive index layer, but these are expensive. The fluorine-based acrylic resin has poor adhesive properties, and the silicone resin has poor chemical resistance, particularly has poor alkali resistance.